Week 2 (A) : ‘Cop culture’ 1: Definitions, evidence and key dimensions Flashcards
What factors contribute to shaping the pattern of policing ?
Traditional view of policing …
Increasing …
law in … v law in …
Wide discretion …
Law is only one factor …
moved away from … to focus on …
‘Traditional’ view of policing: a hierarchical, disciplined force that enforces the law impartially.
Increasing sociological interest in what shapes policing ‘on the ground.’
The ‘law in books’ versus ‘the law in action.’
Wide discretion of frontline police officers.
Law is only one factor among a range of social, economic, and political processes that shape policing practice.
Early ‘sociological’ police researchers moved away from a ‘rational-legal’ perspective. Focussing on the role of occupational cultures in shaping behaviour
How is police occupational culture defined, and what elements does it encompass ?
(Reiner 2020)
the way that police officers …
The way that police officers view the social world and their place in it (Reiner 2010).
A set of beliefs, values, working practices, and informal rules shared between working groups of police officers.
A distinctive set of commonalities of police outlook observed globally.
what is ‘Canteen Culture’ Waddington (1999)?
‘Canteen Culture’ involves values and beliefs expressed in off-duty socializing.
what is ‘Cop culture’ Waddington (1999)?
‘Cop culture’ includes norms and working rules expressed and implied in the course of doing police work.
Identify and describe six key characteristics of ‘cop culture’
Sense of Mission:
‘Not just a job but a way of life,’ action-orientation, and crime-fighting.
Suspicion:
Suspicion of ‘difference,’ particular groups, or places.
Isolation & Solidarity:
‘Us versus them’ mentality.
Cynicism & Pessimism:
Bleak view of human nature.
Machismo & Prejudice:
Sexism, racism, and homophobia.
Conservatism:
Emphasis on law and order, preserving the status quo.
